Lessons learned on my first day

Well today was the big day! It was my first official day in the schools as a substitute teacher. And I am tired!

In the past few weeks I have been dragging my feet getting into the schools. I never wanted to be a sub because the idea of it terrified me. I remember what we used to do to subs when I was in school and I just knew that to pay me back for being mean I would have a terrible experience. Plus, the whole reason I love teaching is getting to know the kids and helping them progress and grow. As a sub, you don't get to do any of that! However, I have been told multiple times that here in Great Falls you have to sub if you will have any hope of getting a full time job. So, I sucked it up and finally applied to the Great Falls Public Schools as a substitute teacher.

I got a call while I was on vacation in Minnesota for a group interview and I was terrified! I had never done a group interview before and I did not want to have to fight over other applicants to get a job. So, I polished up my resume, dressed in my best interview clothes, rocked out to some Weezer (thank you Claire!) and showed up to HR for my interview! There were about 7 other people in the interview room with me and we began by watching 3 movies about blood borne illnesses, first aid and how to be safe on the job. After about 45 minutes it was time for the interview! My hands were sweaty, I was shaking and I was frantically going through all my good answers in my mind but as we went around the table and introduced ourselves I began to feel better. It turns out that I was the only person there with a teaching license and one of two that had a degree in teaching. In Montana two years of college education for subbing are encouraged but not required to sub and a license is given preference but also not required. You can even sub as a sophomore in college! Wow! So we were all hired and told as soon as we turn in our paperwork, we will be on the list. It took me a little over 2 weeks to get everything in and once I finally turned in my Tuberculosis test and got a very unattractive ID badge, I was in the system and ready to be called!

So, Tuesday night I sat with Anthony and watched a movie but I didn't really pay much attention to the movie because I have never been so nervous in my life! All night all I could think of was how much I didn't want to be a sub, how I desperately didn't want to get called in the morning, and how there was no way in the world that I could do this! Anthony was super supportive and really helped me but there was just always a knot in my stomach. So after a nice, big glass of wine to help me calm down, I finally got about 4 hours of sleep before my alarm went off at 6…. ick!!!

So I was up, face on and teeth brushed before the sun came up and then the waiting. I was told that the call can come in as early as 5:45 so I was ready but 5:45 came and went and so did 6:45 when Anthony  left for work. By my 3rd cup of coffee I was questioning whether or not I was going to be called. Finally at 7:15 I got a call from the sub desk and it was go time! My first assignment was to be a rover at Lincoln Elementary. I spent one period in the 3rd grade classroom, and one period in the 6th grade classroom and they were great kids. I was so lucky that I was able to actually talk to the teachers I was working for so they walked me through what to teach and what to expect. I finished there at about 11:15 and headed over to River View Elementary to teach first graders. Once again, I was lucky to be able to talk to the teacher I was working for and for the most part the little ones were pretty good. A summer working at the Youth Center was the best way I could prepare for subbing and I am so thankful for that! There were a few little ones that I had to use my stern voice but overall they were adorable. How do you get angry with little ones that say you look like a princess!?! One child got a bloody nose but I made it through my first day subbing with no children running away and no major catastrophes. The day was capped off with coffee at crooked tree with a friend and wine and Christmas movies with Kim!

Well I learned quite a bit from the first day subbing. It was terrifying, exhausting and very exciting. Most of the day I had no idea what I was doing or where I was supposed to be but as long as the kids didn't know that I was absolutely lost, I was doing alright! Just one more day until Christmas break! Hopefully I will be able to post this weekend and update everyone on our lives outside of the schools! Only 6 more days until Christmas!

Christmas time in Montana!

It's Christmas time in Montana! Here are some ways that I have decorated our new house! It has been slightly challenging because we are starting from scratch with all of our decorations but thank you so much to everyone who has sent us Christmas cheer in the mail!

Our Christmas card holder! There are little clothes pins along the string of lights to hold the cards!

My stocking! I glued a high heel ornament to a blank bottom and bought the sparkly stocking

A big thank you to my aunt for our very first Nativity set. It looks great by the tv! (Yes I took this while Anthony was watching the Bears game on Monday night)

Our little trees looked so cute yesterday! Then Montana wind kicked up and almost completely covered them… I think I will have to continually dig them out of the snow but it is worth it!

Thank you to Mom for the musical advent calendar and aunt Kathy for the beautiful vase!

Our cute little tree! I had it from college so it is a skinny thing but it does the job!

My favorite decoration so far. I found a Darth Vader ornament and glued it to a blank stocking holder and then found a Darth Vader stocking! Anthony is a very happy camper! 

Our back porch! I had to get a little creative with how to keep the lights up but it looks very festive back there at night! The top lights are kept up with Christmas ornament hooks!

Addresses needed!

Hi family and friends!
I am so sorry that this has not been updated in a while but there will be a new post coming soon! Now that we are back from our wonderful vacation to Minnesota, things are happening!

However, for right now I have a request for you! I am getting ready to send out our very fist Christmas card together :) But we are severely lacking in the address book department. If you would be so kind, could you send me your address to my email: hannahmwegner@gmail.com or call or text me! I really want to share our card with all of you so please help me out! Thank you all in advance! Keep looking for that new post that will come soon!